Like a Hurricane*

28 February 2010
When we set off for this trip we knew it was going to be an adventure. Little did we know we would experience an earthquake in Guatemala, floods causing a national disaster zone in Peru and now a potential tsunami in New Zealand on the day we sail across the Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton.
When we left there was already a heavy swell, which would cause most Channel crossings from England to France to be cancelled. The declared tsunami alert meant that we can’t sail up the narrow Tory passage (some might say that is a blessing) and had to go up the much wider North passage, which will added an extra hour to our 3 hour crossing time. We saw several news reports on the boat which explained that the expected tsunami, which is actually a series of waves rather than just one wave, was only expected to be about 1 – 1.5 metres. On the crossing it felt like it was happening around us however an update on the news-channel said it wasn’t expected to arrive where we were bound for another half an hour after we arrived. Hastings and Chatham had already experienced their first waves. Good job you’re on high ground Sue and Graham!
However once inside the Queen Charlotte’s Sound the sea was like a mill pond and the views of the numerous islands were very beautiful.











As usual the disaster predictions were as hyped up here as they are in the UK so we feel even more at home. We arrived safely in Picton, which is a pretty little port with only 330 permanent residents and the view from our motel room is spectacular. Sitting on our balcony at 7pm sipping a glass of merlot (plum, bramble and spice with a subtle tannin profile) in the glorious evening sun, sorry to rub it in to the folks back home, this is what winter should be like.